United boosts business fares

HOUSTON (AP) -- United Airlines increased domestic business fares Friday by as much as $100 each way.

Continental Airlines
CAL, +0.13%
and American Airlines
AMR, +1.30%
quickly matched the United
UAL, -1.33%
move, which boosted fares for one-way tickets purchased fewer than three days before the flight by $50 for trips of less than 1,500 miles and $100 for flights 1,500 miles or more.

Other carriers, including Minneapolis-based Northwest Airlines
NWB
and St. Louis-based Trans World Airlines
TWA, -3.91%
were reviewing the boosts. Typically if one of the major airlines doesn't go along with the hike, the increase won't stick.

Houston-based Continental would not elaborate on its increase, citing company policy, spokeswoman Erica Roy said. American's increase applied to walk-up fares, John Hotard, spokesman for the Fort Worth-based carrier, said.

Delta Air Lines
DAL, -0.23%
announced a smaller increase, averaging 10.3 percent, or about $82 round trip on business fares, spokesman Russ Williams said from Atlanta.

United spokesman Chris Brathwaite confirmed the Chicago-based carrier initiated the round of increases.

Air fare watchdog Terry Trippler admitted astonishment the boost was started by United, whose on-time and customer service problems this year have been so acute they've launched an advertising campaign to repair their image.

"Continental is one thing, because they're an airline on top of their game," said Trippler, whose Minneapolis-based 1travel.com books discount airfares and travel packages. "But United? This is not an airline setting the world on fire with service. I couldn't believe United did it."

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